Paranaque City transformation

The city of Paranaque, situated eight kilometers south of Manila, capital city of the Philippines used to be known for its garbage-strewn streets, its unkempt city hall, and its slow development. Parañaque used to have many areas that needed improvement. It was widely acknowledged as a dirty, backward, and neglected city.

However in recent years, this city has been transformed, as the leaders have declared Paranaque a city dedicated to God.

A major breakthrough occurred when permission was given to Christians to hold daily prayer meetings right in the heart of the City Hall. The new Mayor, Jun Bernabe inherited a debt of nearly one billion pesos (£17M) and was desperate to see transformation take place not only in his city, but also the nation. The pastors of Parañaque come to City Hall every morning at eight o'clock they pray for the city, for the Mayor, for the department heads, etc.

As transformation started taking root, word soon spread that City Hall was, not only a place to pay taxes, but also to receive prayer for financial issues and even physical healing.

Formally garbage-strewn sidewalks are now regularly cleaned and well maintained. More streets are now litter-free. Tons of garbage were cleared. Police mobility has been enhanced with new vehicles and better equipment. There are greatly enhanced medical emergency response capabilities and waste disposal capabilities, with new ambulances and new garbage trucks for each of the 16 districts.

More than 4,000 new streetlights have been built in less than two years. Streetlights enhance both vehicle and pedestrian safety. Parañaque City Hall has been renovated to be more functional, efficient and welcoming.

Three new school buildings have been built to address the classroom shortage. Students no longer have to travel to adjacent cities to study. More youth activities have encouraged youth to be more active in their communities. Youth activities also help fight drug abuse and truancy. All this is done with the goal of cultivating genuine pride in Parañaque.

In businesses, ordinary men and women doing extraordinary deeds by praying for employees and customers.

The following short viideo gives you a snapshot:

Going beyond a prayer meeting in your building. Going beyond a one-off event with leaders. The Church in a town in regular prayer meetings with your civic leaders at their offices. The Church out in the streets praying for the people living there. The Church out in workplaces praying for employees and the business. It will change your community.